Car-door mechanism



Oct. 7, 1930.

w. E. WINE CAR DOOR MECHANISM Filed May 14, 1928 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 7, 1930. x w. E. WINE 1 GAR DOOR MECHANI SM Filed May 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 w. E. WINE CAR DOOR MECHANISM Filed May 14, 1928 a closedtoa fully closed position.

Patented Oct. 7, 1930 qUNITED STA WILLIAM E. WINE,

res

tartarlorr es"f or TOLEDO"; 01:10"

CAR-DOOR MEcnAmsM Application filed May 14,

The principal obj ect of theinvention is to provide a hopper car door with means which,

' in addition to functioning as a door spreader and preventing distortion of the door, serves 10 to support or maintain the 'door in closed position. p a V A further object of the invention is to provide a door locking mechanism with means for forcing the door from apartially A primary feature of the invention resides in providing arailway car with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence or gravity and, in associatingtherewith,a,

latch member, slidably mounted on the door and means carried by the car body engageable with the opposite ends of said latch for maint'aimingv the door in closed position, the latch being so formed and arranged as to constitute means for preventing distortion of the door. t r

i A further feature of the invention consists in providing a hopper car doorcomposed of a pluralityof sections respectively disposed on opposite sides. of the car center sill with rigid means slidably mounted on the door sections and constituting a combined latch and doorspreader, the oppositeends thereof being engageable with hooks carried'by the car bodyfor maintaining the dooriin closed position. a j

A still further feature of the invention resides in providing the door of a railway car with 'a combined latch and doorspread'er of truss form.

A still further feat p v sists in slidably n oluntirigon a hinged car door a latch member which isf adapted to cooperate-with means fixedly mounted on the car body to support the door'eitherin partial- 11y closed or in fully closechposition; the door being provided with brackets having' relatively inclined surfaces cooperable with the slid-able latch to forcethe'jdoor from partial- V coinhina tioiisof parts will hereinaf plo edrm closing the 'lading discliarg e jopeiiv "showing both of the-door "se if V g re 54 is a fragmentar fi e Online 4 4, Figure 2; a .t igure 5 is a fragmentary 1 Figure 1 the invention applied to ureof the inventioncon meli of the laminae; locking direction. y

' Other'features of the invention pertaining to advantageousforms of construction 7 1 61 pp a Figure I is an elevational view showing'the invention as applied to door sectionsenr ings'of railway cars havingtransversely'disposed hoppers on opposite fsides'pf'the car center sill (not shown) one of the door sec- 7 tions' being supported in a partialposition of closure and the otherin a practic'allyfinal position of closure.

Figure2'i's a view similar 'to" Figure 1 ctio'ns supported in fully cl'osed position. I Figure 3 is a fragmentary sideelevational viewof a hopper and its swinging d orshewing the invention applied thereto, the 'door being'supportedi-n fully closedpo sition sectional view pp fiitional' view taken on llne 5+5, Figure 2. p F gure 6 is an elevatlonalvlew of the nner face of thecombined latch and door spreader.

Figure? is a top elevationalyiew 'of the construction il'lustratedin Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an end elevational View of the construction shown in F ig 7 Figure 9 is a viewsimilar to'Figure4,tl1e doorbe in'g supported in partiall y closed posi- O is a side elevational View of a hopper oar ofthe side dump type showing the doors employed on this type of car; D

Figure llisa View similar to Figure 3 illustrating a slightly modified arrangement forforcingthe door from one position of closure to another position of closure. V

As is well understood hopper cars, having 95 lading discharge openings disposed transversely of the ,car' on oppositesides of the car center sill, are provided with doors formed in a plurality of sections-and connected by a' spreader or stiifening member so as to swing together. Heretofore the door sections have 15 serving as a pivotal support for a cam 16 been connected by spreaders which are rigidly and immovably secured to each section, the opposite ends of the spreader being provided with either an immovable or movable part of the door locking mechanism to cooperate with a portion of the locking mechanism carried by the outerside sheets o'f t he hoppers. I have found, however, that the door spreader, by being suitably formed, may be arranged to function as the latchvpo'rtion of the locking mechanism without detracting from its function as a door spreader or stifi'eningelement. 7

In the drawings, 1 indicates the side sheets .of,..the hoppers and 2 the slopeor bottom sheets thereof. the outer edges of these sheets respectively defining the ladingdischarge openings which are adapted to be closed by the corresponding door sections 3' and 4. Each of the doors may be secured to thecar body by the usual hinges (not shown) so as ,toswingto open position under the influence of gravity. To reinforce the door sections their marginal edges may be flanged outwardly as at 5; Thedoor sections 3 and 4 arelconnected so as to swing together by a vmember 6 which is slidably mounted upon each of the sections by a plurality'of brackets ,l .7. This member in addition to serving as r a door spreader serves as the latch ofthe door locking mechanism. 7 In order that-the spreader may be of suflicient strength to effectively withstand the forces tending to warp and distort/the door sections it may be formed of, a plurality 'of members '8 and 9 constituting the compression and tension members respectively, of a truss.;;Adjacent vthe. points-,ofmaximum divergence of the tension and compression members 7 filler retaining them in spaced relation. So that the memberfi may be of maximum rigidity, the tension member Z9 thereof is formed-:as'a

flanged team, preferably a channel; the

flanges of which are cut away at'its opposite 1 ends where it is connected to. the compression member by rivets-11: I The ends of the com- ,bined-spreader and latchsproject outwardly v5o beyond,adjacentiportions of the hoppers to cooperate with other portions of the door locking mechanism: to tbe hereinafter de- S b d', I

The brackets [7 are respectively secured to 5 the door sections adjacent their inner and 1 outenedges and ea'elrof' the brackets consists e se ia u e i amb- 1 2 a inner, m mibl t s emm fash d-W h pp and ew zse t an lr proje ti ilo- 0r bosses l gt for: maintaining the outer member Lin spaced relation thereto, thusaffording a i ortion j forreceiving the] slidable" door a de? I ieurr t sp he ac et s 'aiit he ent -ed har swim s P r dedsw ha r c por employed for making the spreader rigid with the door sections and to thereby maintain it in locked position to prevent accidental opening movement of the door sections. Any suitable means such as rivets 17 may be used for securing the brackets to the outer faces of the door sections, the rivets preferably passing through the central portions of the upper and lower lugs 14 of the inner members 13.

JVVhile the outer. members 12 of the brackets "which are securedto the doors adjacent their inner edges. are interposed between the compres's'ion member 8 andthe tension member 9 thereof. It will thus be seen that the filler members 10 may be of any desired size, thereby permitting the divergence between the tensionandcompression members tobe varied in order to obtain a' spreader of the most effective strength. 1

Thev fillers 10, in addition to serving as spacersfor the compression and tension members of the spreader, limit longitudinal movement of the latter by cooperating with the opposite edges of the outer plates 12 of the adjacent brackets. Secured to the compres sion member8 adjacent each of the brackets Tis a wedge block or member 18 fashioned with an inclined surface 19 to cooperatively engage the correspondingly inclined surface '20 formed on the inner members 13 of the brackets. The wedge blocks 18 are'secured a depressed portion 23 to receive the inner blocks ,or' castings .1 may be employed" for :head of the rivets Suitably secured as by rivets 24: to each of the outer side sheets of thehoppers is a hook member 25'having a ledge 26, the ledges of "the hooks being respectively adapted to cooperate with the outwardly projecting opposite ends .of thedoorspreader 6. The ledge jof each of the hooks and the portions of the brackets for receiving the spreader are so arranged and proportioned that, by moving both ends of the spreader upwardly into the position illustrated in Figure 9, the door sections will be ')ermitted. to swing to open position;

When it is desired to close the door the operator may grasp any convenient portion thereof or one of the outwardly projecting ends of the movable spreader to move the inFigu're 9; 'It the doorsectiofnsare Warped" or distorted'to an extent suchthat the door may not be easil'y caused to assume fully closed position, suitable force may be applied to. the outwardly projectingends ofthe spreader by employing a removableleye'r 28 4 'adapt'edto fulcrum about the outwardly projecting lug or boss 29 of the hook.. 7 When forceisa applied to the removable lever 28 to oausethe spreader to move downwardly, the

door is forced to fully closed position due to the coaction betWe'en-tlie'inclined surface of the inner members of the respective bracketsand the inclined surface 19 of the Wedge blocksof the spreader.- vIf the door sections are being manipulated by only one operator it will, of course, be understood that ,bothof the sections cannot besimultaneousl'y locked but, as shown in" Figure 1, the door SeCtlOILt may be caused to a'ssume a fully closed position and the operator by passing around to the other side of the car may thereafter secure the door section 3 in fully closed position. Likewise, when only one operator is available to unlock the door .sections, "the opposite ends of the spreader may be caused to successively" assume a position permitting the door to swing open.

As considerable force-is required to move the spreader to unlocked positionqa mechanical advantage isp'refe rablyemployed to obtain the desired force. To accomplish this result a portion of the marginal flange 30 a o fjthe hook is cut; away as at 31 toj' provide a ledgeorshoulderforaccommodating arer a movable lever 32. Bymoving the lever in a I clockwise direction about the ledge 31 as a fulcrum, it will readily beperceived that the spreader is causedto move upwardlyg'thereby permitting the door to swing open. 7

Allipants oi the door mechanism as applied to the side dump hopper car illustratedin- Figure 10 are identical with those illustrated inthe main figures ofzthe drawings, theo11ly ditferenceibeing that the-door isfformed as a unit instead of-in sections as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

In. the modification illustrated Figure 11 which may beapplied either to the type of hopper illustrated in Figural or to that illustrated in -Figure' 10, the hooks are a formed with a plurality of ledges, the ledge 33 serving-to maintain the door in partially closed position While the ledge-34 functions .to sustain. the door invfu ll'y closed po'sitiom 'Insteadof providing the brackets and the spreader'b Witlrinclined, surfaces to wedge the" doonto any closed position by a down- Ward movement of the spreader, thesesurfaces in the modificationillustrated in Figure ll'are made parallel to the direction of movement of the spreadeig' the wedgingf acti'on being 'obtai-nedby conneotingthe ledgies 33 andBet of the hooks by'an inclined smface 3 5. willthus beapprecialted that when 1; In a door mechanism for railway ears,

the combinationwith ah-inged decries-table to open position under the influence of gravity, of alatch' member slilably meunteden the door,- and meanscakrried by the bedy engageablelwith the oppositeiendsj arse-id member for maintaining the door in closed position i said. slidable latch involving a flanged beam constitutingniearis seryiiig to stiffen the door.

2. In a door mechanism fer railway cars, the combination witha? hinged; deer mevable to open position under the influence of gray- .ity, of a=trussed latcli'slidabvly Inounted onthe door and constituting means reventing (itstortion' 0t thelattenmeans by the car body engageable' with: the opposite ends of said latch for maintainingthedoor in cle's'ed position, means secured to the door 5th jaeent each end dffthe latch for e'nga fig the'upper edge of the latter to leek it deer supporting position. i

3. In a door mechanism ears, the combination with a} hinged door muvatle to' open position under the qt gravi'ty,of a latch bar sli'dably monnted on the door; and means carried bythe car bedy e'ngageable with the epposite endsot said latch for maintaining the door'in 'e'losed position,

said latchbeingi of greatest depth internisd-iate its ends and involting a flanged begi constituting means eventing dismfti'oe (5f thed-oor; V a .7 v V v V 4"; In avdoor edhenis ror railway-ears, v the combination with a hingeddeermdvatle to openposition undenthe influence (if a vit of fixed means carried by theme bod y and slidable means carried by the dotlf volvi-ng a plurality of rigidly connected members provided witl'i; means for maintain ing them in spaced relation intermediate their ends; one of said' membersp q provided with a plurality offlainge's said slif able means ervin w reventdisaamee of tlre deer and being cooperable withsaid fixed means to supportthe door closed position.

5; In door mechanism fer ear's," the combination with atiieg d: deor inovatle to open position under the influence M gratity,- offixed means carried by the ear easy,"

and a latch bar slidaibly men-need theater having rigid portions prbjeeting 6ppos'ite edges of theater for ceuperati gwith said fixed means to. maintain the in closedpassion, 'oeiistittiting :"means preventing distortion of the/door and involving a plurality, of, -rigidly tonnected members; arranged in spaced: relation #intermediate their ends, one of said members be- I ing substantially of channel shape.

6.. In a doormechanism for railway cars,

the combination'with' a hinged door movable to o'pen, positionju'ndertheinfluence of gravity, of a latch. bar slidably mounted on the door and constituting means preventing dis- .tortion thereof, said-latch bar involving a plurality of members rigidly connected adjacenttheirhoppositexends and a; fillerv for maintaining said members in spaced relation intermediate their ends, onegofsaid members qloeing provided: with a rigidifying flange, f and; means fixedlymounted 011 the car body for 5 engagement, 1 with the. opposite ends of 7. -In a doornnechanism a said-latch bar to maintain the-door in closed position.

the combination with a hinged door movable to op'en position under the influence of gravity,of vagslidable latch bar mounted on the sdoorymeansmounted on the car body engageable with the opposite ends of said latch bar forsupporting the'door inclosed position, andbracketsyonthedoor vfor guiding Isaid latchbar, one of saidbracketsoverlying of'saidbrackets having a part interposed between portions of the latc'hlbar.

1 .8. In. door, mechanism for railway cars, -the;con1b1nat1on,.w1th a hinged 'door movable to open position underthe' influence of grav- -.ity, of fixed means carried/by theflcar body, a latch bar slidably mounted on the door having portions I projecting beyond opposite edges ofgthe latterifor cooperating'with said fixed meansxto maintain the door in closed 1 position, said. latch-bar constituting means ipreventing, distortion of the door and involvarranged ;in ts'paced -relation intermediate I r-their;ends,i and brackets for guiding said ing a plurality of rigidly connected members latchfbar, one'of sa'idbrackets havinga'por- -,tion interposed between the spaced members f t htch bar." I In a :-mechanism for 3 railway cars, the, combination with a, hinged door movable to fopen' position under the influence of grav- =ity,.of a combined door stiflening and latch r member,slidablymounted-on the door, means carried by the car body engageable withthe opposite ends? of said', latch for maintaining.

the door in partially closed andin fully closed position, means zoperativelyinterposed be- --tween the latch; member and the car body for causing said door; to move from partially closed to fully closed position upon movement of said latchrmember" in 5a" locking: direction,

and means carried by the door for making the latch rigid therewith after the door has been movedto fullyclo'sed position.

-iElOtiIn, afloor mechanism forlrailwayzcars,

the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of a latch member slidably mounted on the door, means carried by the car body engageable with the opposite ends of said latch for maintaining the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, and means carried by" the door and cooperable with portions of said latch member to cause the for railway cars, 7

and in fully :closed position, the door and slidable latch being provided with cooperating inclined surfaces for forcing said door from partially closed to fully closed position upon movement' of said latch in a locking direction.

the outer,:face ofzsaidlatch barand another a 12. In a door mechanism for railway cars, the'combination with a hinged door movable to open position underthe influence of gravity, of means fixedly mounted on the car body adjacent opposite sides of the door, a combined door stif'feningand latch member carried by the door and 'engageable with the said fixed means to maintain the door in partially closed and .in fully closed position, and a'bracket member mounted on thedoor,

said bracket having a relatively inclined surface for cooperating with said latch member 1 to cause'said door to move from partially closed-to fully closed position upon movement of said latch member from a position corresponding to partially closedposition of the door to a position corresponding to fully closed position thereof.

13; In a door mechanism for railway cars, thecombination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of means fixedly mounted on the car body, a slidable latch member carried by the door and eugageable with the said fixed means to maintain the door inpartially closed and fully closed position, and a bracket for guiding said slidablelatch, said bracket involving spacedmembers for receiving said latch and one of said members belng fashioned with a relatively inclined surface for cooperating with the latter to cause said door to move from partially closed to fully closed position upon' movement of said latch from a a position corresponding to partially closed 1 position of the door to a position correspond- 'ingto fully closed position thereof.

141. Ina door mechanism for railway cars, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of .gravity,:said:do0r comprising a plurality of V maintaining the door in closed position.

15. In a door mechanism for railway cars, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity,- said doorcomprising a plurality of sections respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car center sill, of means carried by the car body adjacent the outer edges of said door sections, and a trussed member slidably mounted on said door sections and constituting a combined latch and door-spreader, the opposite ends of said member being engageable with said means to maintain the door in closed position.

16. In a door mechanism for railway cars, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, said door comprisinga plurality of sections respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car center sill, of means carried by the car body adjacent the outer edges of said door sections, and combined latch and door-spreader means slidably mounted on the a door sections and having portions projecting beyond the outer edges ofv the'latter for cooperating with the means carried by the car body for maintaining the door in closed position, said latch means involving a plurality of rigidly connected members diverging from points adjacent their opposite ends toward points adjacent the inner edges of the respective door sections.

17. In a door mechanism for railway cars, the combination with a hinged door movable toopen position under the influence of gravity, said door comprising a plurality of sections respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car center sill, of means carried by the car body adjacent the outer edges of said door sections, rigid means slidably mounted on the door sections and constituting a combined latch and door-spreader, the

opposite ends of said rigid means being engageable with the means carried by the car body for maintaining the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, and means operatively interposed between the latch member and car body for causing said door to move from partially closed to fully closed position upon movement of said latch member in a locking direction. 7

18. In a door mechanism for railway cars, the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, said door comprising aplurality of sections respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car center sill, of means carried by the car body adj acent the outer edges of said door sections, rigid means slidably mounted on the door sections and constituting a combined latch and door spreader, the

opposite ends of said rigid means being engageable with the means carried by the car body for maintaining the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, and bracketssecured to each of said door sections adjacent their inner and outer edges for guiding said slidable means, the brackets adjacent the respective inner edges of the door,

sections having parts interposedbetween portions of the slidable means and the brackets adjacent the respective outer edges of the door sections'having portions overlying the outer face of said slidable means.

19. In a door mechanism for railway cars,

the combination with a hinged door movable to open position under 'the influence of gravity, said door comprising a plurality of sections respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car center sill, of means carried by the car body adjacent the outer edges of said door sections, rigid means slidably mounted on the doorsections and constitut- 'ing a combined latch and door-spreader, the opposite ends of said rigid means being engageable with the means carried by thevcar body for maintaining the door in partially closed and in fully closed position, and brackets secured to said door sections for guiding said slidable means, one of the brackets on each of said door sections being fashioned with a relatively inclined surface for respectively cooperating with portions of said slidable means to cause said door to move from. partially closed to fully closed position upon. movement of said slidable means in a a locking direction.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

